


Fly Hi High!

by matsuwukawa, yeojineve



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 2jin angst, F/F, Friends to Enemies, There will be ships, Unusual Pairings, haseul & sooyoung are opposing captains, jinsoul & yeojin partners in crime, kim lip has a power score of 10, loona x haikyuu, maknae line are first years, matsuhana but make it 2yeon, on a different team than yeojin & hyejoo, teams have dreamcatcher red velvet & twice members, they have beef, yeohyerim childhood bffs, yerim got accepted into a private perfoming arts school
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:21:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29795301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matsuwukawa/pseuds/matsuwukawa, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeojineve/pseuds/yeojineve
Summary: A storied and intense rivalry between Blockberry High School and SM Performing Arts reaches a peak when new first years shake up team dynamics. With the derby right around the corner, both teams are going to give their all to win, but only one can take the road to nationals. Who will overcome the tall, tall wall and fly high?Join Yerim, Hyejoo & Yeojin as they experience the epic highs and lows of high school volleyball.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

“If you open your bag one more time I will throw it against the wall.” Hyejoo’s glare is poisonous and not at all dampened by the protein bar she’s chewing her way through. Yeojin’s hands freeze at the zipper. “Your pads are _there_ . They’ve been there the last _fifty times_ you’ve checked. God damn.” Cue forceful bite of the protein bar, to symbolise what Hyejoo will do to her bones if she doesn’t behave. Yeojin is no longer foolish enough to see it as an empty threat. 

“Have you no care for rituals,” Yeojin mutters, tucking her hands into the pouch of her hoodie moodily, very reminiscent of the proper teenager she was determined to be now they were in high school. 

“Your only ritual is being ritualistically annoying,” Hyejoo declares, crushing the wrapper of her bar in one fist with far more aggression than necessary. 

“-and I still can’t stand the sound of basketball,” an unfamiliar voice announces from around the corner. Yeojin perks up, and Hyejoo deflates. “The sound of balls hitting the ground so much and deliberately makes my fight or flight instinct kick in, y’know? Like I need to run in there and pick up the ball. The only time I wanna hear that is when I’m dumping it.”

“That makes no sense, but thank you for telling me,” a second voice politely replies. Yeojin is practically glowing by now with the prospect of meeting her new teammates so soon, anxiety forgotten already. 

“Why are there so many,” Hyejoo bemoans. Yeojin ignores her, because by now she’s used to her inability to see the brighter side of any given situation, or to be fun. Or happy. Or to smile-

“Oh, hi!” 

Yeojin’s jaw drops. There are three mountainous girls rounding the corner, one waving sheepishly, one staring, one- not looking at all, actually. But the important thing is they are _giant_ and Yeojin is _tiny_ and Yeojin is _scared_ and Hyejoo is evil smiling, now, because she _knows_. All five feet of Yeojin shakes. 

“Uh- hi! Hi!” Yeojin squeaks, leaping to her feet, bowing her head instinctively. “Are you here to try out for the volleyball team too?”

“Is there something else supposed to be taking place in this gym?” The girl in the middle asks, face stoic but eyes kind as they scan down, down, down until they reach Yeojin’s surely pale face. 

“Oh, I hope not, that would be so embarassing,” the basketball-fearing girl softly whines, pulling on the drawstrings of her hoodie until her face is almost hidden. What’s visible is cherry red. “I’d die.”

The tallest girl slaps her on the back, finally having looked up from whatever she was doing on her phone. “Nope,” she says, either unaware or uncaring of the way basketball girl stumbles forward. “I just checked.” She holds out her phone. “School admin says volleyball tryouts are in this gym at 3:30. We’re in the right place.”

“Good to know. Thank you, Tzuyu,” middle says again, deadly seriously, and tallest - Tzuyu - flashes a lazy peace sign before tucking her phone away into the pocket of her gym bag. 

“No probs.” She turns an appraising eye on Yeojin and the girl gulps involuntarily. “You’re short. Libero?”

Yeojin’s mouth opens and closes like a fish as Hyejoo coughs a laugh into her fist, still leaning against the wall and not socialising at all. Yeojin is so gonna tell her mum about her, she _swears_. “Yeah, but- but I- I could play other positions if I wanted to!” she defends, squaring her shoulders. “I’ve got a pretty good cross shot!”

“You must be able to jump very high,” the middle girl says, not unkind, but like she’s acknowledging a fact. Yeojin wants to die. 

“I can! When I want to! But I focus my training on being a libero because I’m super dedicated and stuff,” Yeojin says. “I practise a lot. Like, a lot a lot. I got an award for it in middle school.” 

“Yeah, the overachiever award, what an honour,” Hyejoo mutters from behind her, and Yeojin whirls away with a hand on her hips, other pointing accusingly. 

“Just cause you don’t practise a lot doesn’t mean you have to shit on me!” 

“Don’t fucking swear, Yeojin, jesus. You’re like, five.”

“We are _the same age_ !” Yeojin stomps her foot indignantly and not at all like a five year old. “Shut up, _Hyejoo_.”

Hyejoo’s eyes flash. “ _Olivia_. Call me Olivia.”

“Why do I have to call you Olivia when you wouldn’t call me Raven in middle school-“

“Because having an emo phase is completely different to-“

“Alright, sounds like there’s a lot to unpack here,” Tzuyu interrupts, stepping between them, “but maybe we should swing our focus back on volleyball, just for a second. I’m Tzuyu and I’m a middle blocker. Nice to meet you both. The school counsellor’s office is located by the first year classrooms and I reckon you guys should hit it up.” 

“I’m Yeojin and I’m a libero!” she chirps, previous anger forgotten. Hyejoo frowns, mouthing the words _school counsellor_ like they’re foregin. “This is Hyejoo, and she’s also a middle blocker, but her favourite position is bench warmer.”

“My name is Olivia and I will not _hesitate_ you gremlin.” 

“I’m Yuna!” basketball girl adds, finally loosening her drawstrings long enough to bow her head. “I’m a setter!”

Middle girl smiles at each of them in turn, “Zoa. Opposite hitter. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to playing alongside you all.” Her posture is shockingly straight. Immaculate, even, despite her baby face. It’s like the rest of her is a fully realised Adult Athlete™️, but she had stolen her face from an infant. Or maybe she looks like a normal fifteen year old and Yeojin’s perception is skewed by the twenty odd centimetres of height Zoa has on her. 

“Did you guys choose Blockberry because of the volleyball team too?” Yeojin asks, trying and failing to not feel like a scout cornered by titans. 

“Wait, this school is known for volleyball?” Yuna says, blinking owlishly. “I- I didn’t know, I just live five minutes away from here- oh god. Oh god, everyone is gonna be really good, aren’t they? I’m never going to play. This is so embarrassing, I think I’ll go play tennis instead-“

“No, Suna, stay. This school isn’t that great. Yet. You’ll be fine.” Tzuyu’s voice is monotone. She is looking at her phone again. 

“My… my name is Yuna-“

“Blockberry High School’s boys team is better than their girls team, statistically,” she continues, either unaware or uncaring. Yuna slowly, slowly pulls on her drawstrings until her face is hidden again. “The girl’s team has placed second in two School Division Championships since their inception in 2016 but are yet to qualify for the National Championship. In the friendly Derby between four other schools they’ve never placed in the top two. It’s disappointing, really, but last year was one of the years they came second, and they played well. Shockingly well.” 

“Is there, like, a wiki for this random high school team that you’re reading off, or do you just sound like that?” Hyejoo asks drily, and Tzuyu’s eyes flick up to her briefly. 

“This is what intelligence sounds like, actually. Sorry if you’ve never heard it before.” 

“Oh, bitch-“ 

“No cursing out people you just met!” Yeojin orders, stomping her foot. “Your mum reminded you and everything this morning before we left!”

“Rules for social interaction? Astounding,” Tzuyu says, and Hyejoo’s eyes get the murder look in them. “It’s like I already know everything I need to know about you.”

“I have fears for how this dynamic will translate onto the court,” Zoa says gravely, but she is ignored by the two middle blockers currently squaring up. Yeojin hovers around them anxiously, hands up, trying to placate the pair, and Yuna is more hoodie than human at this point. 

“You know nothing about me.” 

“Prove it, Hyejoo.”

“ _Olivia_.” 

Hyejoo looks about ready to throw hands when the door to the gym behind them slams open, hitting the wall with a bang. Yuna yelps as Zoa and Hyejoo both leap back, startled. Yeojin almost collapses with shock. 

“Wow, _five_? Holy shit!” the girl standing in the doorway enthuses, hands on her hips. “Oi, Haseul!” she bellows over her shoulder. “Come get a load of this! We’ve got five this year!” Yeojin has to squint to look at her- she’s wearing a sparkling blue headband and obnoxiously aqua shorts. Her shirt, for some ungodly reason, is highlighter yellow. Yeojin decides then and there that she loves her. 

“Five?” a timid voice - presumably belonging to Haseul - replies. A new face appears around the corner, wide eyes blinking. “Oh, wow.” A tentative smile splits her face as she steps out from behind the door, hands clasped in front of her. “Are- are you all here to try out for the volleyball team?”

“Yeah!” Yeojin cheers, throwing her hands up. 

“Unfortunately,” Hyejoo mutters. 

“Well come on in!” the energetic rainbow person in the door crows, swinging her arms backwards. “Let’s go! Let’s get started!” She turns to Haseul, eyes sparkling. “Five. _Five_ , Haseul.”

“Five,” Haseul agrees with a small, gentle smile. She faces the first years, gesturing inside. Human Highlighter is skipping away. Yeojin wants to be her best friend, she’s decided. “We’ll introduce you to our other teammates and warm up, and then we’ll be doing a practice game.” Haseul doesn’t wait for a response, hurrying back over to where Colorblindness Advocate has somehow tangled herself in the net. 

Yeojin and Hyejoo share a look - one much more excited than the other - before stepping into the gym proper. The warm air and scent of deodorant feels like coming home, and Yeojin inhales deeply as a smile splits her face. She can hear the three other first years following them inside, absolutely silent except for the sound of the Crime Against Fashion hitting the floor, successfully untangled. Haseul looks significantly harried. There is a small gaggle of girls huddled by the service line, watching with varying degrees of horror, enthusiasm and exasperation. They’re all tall. Yeojin tries her best not to feel intimidated but she’s fenced in on all sides by giants and her fight or flight instinct is moments from kicking in. _If I punch I’ll just punch Hyejoo_ , she thinks, swallowing. 

“So- um. Ignore that,” Haseul announces nervously, gesturing vaguely to the rainbow cackling on the floor. “That’s Jinsoul, one of our wing spikers.”

“She’s also your vice captain, so get ready for that,” calls one of the tall girls by the line. The others around her giggle as Jinsoul sits up, flashing a hurt pout in their direction.

“I’ll have you know I’m perfectly composed on the court!” she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“We don’t doubt you,” Haseul says with a supportive - if pained - smile, patting her head. Jinsoul beams. “Girls, um. Come over here, please.” The five others fall in line, standing alongside Haseul and facing the first years. “These are our other players. Would you like to introduce yourselves?”

“I’m called Kim Bora, but you can call me anytime,” one of the taller girls says with a wink. She’s immediately elbowed in the side, bending over with an _oof_.

“Or call her idiot,” scowls the one belonging to the elbow currently digging into Bora’s ribs. She’s almost a normal height, her hair cut in a harsh bob that’s severity matches her expression. “She’s a middle blocker. I’m Ryujin. Setter and pinch server.” 

“Yeah, back up setter,” mutters Bora, and she wheezes when the elbow becomes a fist. Yeojin tries not to look too shocked- a middle blocker? Bora is maybe only ten centimetres taller than Yeojin, so around five four. Definitely short for a blocker, especially when compared to Hyejoo, who at fifteen already towered over most of their peers. Either her jump was amazing, or there was something else there. The anticipation made Yeojin shiver excitedly. What a wild card. She had always wanted to share a team with a wild card. And not a wild card in the sense like Hyejoo, where it was always a constant swing between _is she going to fight Yeojin or the opposing team._

“Girls, please,” Haseul says, pinching the bridge of her nose between two taped fingers.

“I’m Hyunjin. I’m a second year and I’ll be your setter. I look forward to seeing what you can do with my sets,” says a tall, sophisticated looking girl as she bows. “I’ll do my best and I expect you to do the same.”

“I’m Jeongyeon. Middle blocker.” Says the pretty, if bored bleach blonde as she lifts a lazy peace sign. She seems to be almost entirely made of toned, brilliant legs, and Yeojin feels equally jealous as she does dizzy just looking at them. “Let’s fuck shit up.”

“Language,” Haseul says exasperatedly in the same breath as Jinsoul pointing at her and exclaiming, “Hey! You know mama bear hates when you swear!” 

“Mama bear,” Hyejoo whispers in mild horror from behind Yeojin. “I want to quit.”

“You aren’t even on the team yet,” Yeojin whispers back. Hyejoo looks even more upset by that.

“I’m Chaewon.” It’s barely audible, from the last girl on the line. “Opposite hitter. Look forward to playing with you.” Haseul looks down the line appreciatively, visibly sighing in relief.

“So this is our team. We’re small, but we’re good, and we’ll- we’re going to win this year. Oh, and I’m Haseul. I’m your captain this year,” she says, bowing her head respectfully. She almost pitches forward when Jinsoul throws an arm around her, pinching her cheek.

“She’s also our fantastic ace!” She crows. Haesul looks ready to die. “She’s just too timid to admit it!”

“Let’s- let’s not,” she laughs nervously, prying Jinsoul’s arm off her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. You’ve bought your forms?” All five first years simultaneously produce their applications, filled out with their names, ages and desired positions. “Oh, uh- great! Nayeon, will you please collect them?”

“Righteo,” a bored voice calls, and Yeojin whips around to spy another girl who had previously been practically invisible leaning by the door. She isn’t in practice gear- instead she’s wearing track pants under their uniform skirt and a very large, very pink sweater. Her track pants are tucked into fluffy green socks. 

“This is Nayeon, she’s our manager!”

“Her interests include getting dressed in the dark and being our cutest member,” Jeongyeon adds, and Nayeon flashes her a wolfish grin.

“You know it, babe. Forms, please,” she asks as she passes them, stacking them in her grip. As she hands them to Haseul she bows a full ninety degrees. As if on cue, Jeongyeon provides a trumpet tune with her hands cupped around her mouth. Haseul sighs, smiling regardless as she accepts the papers. Nayeon shoots a quick finger gun in Jeongyeon’s direction before circling them to return to her post by the door, smoothing out her rumpled skirt.

“So, before we warm up- we’ll be doing a practise match to determine everyone’s placement on the team. So, on Team A, um… Zoa and Tzuyu? I’ll have you play with Hyunjin as your setter.” Zoa and Tzuyu exchange a look. Tzuyu almost robotically holds up her hand for a fist bump, which Zoa begrudgingly obligies in. “And Yuna, Yeojin, and… Olivia, you guys will be Team B.” 

They all chorus in agreeance, and Yeojin practically vibrates with excitement. Her first high school practice match! Against a second year starting setter! And lots of tall people! With Hyejoo on her team! She beams up at Hyejoo, who grimaces when she tugs on her hand.

“We’ll get revenge,” she whispers, and Hyejoo’s brow quirks the way it does whenever retribution and/or violence is implied. “On that middle blocker.”

Hyejoo spares a quick glance at Zoa, who is already glowering in their direction. When Hyejoo looks back at her, her smile is semi-devilish.

“Oh, I like the sound of that.”

☆

“Haha! Did you see that, Haseul? That kid totally ate shi-” 

Haseul smacks Jinsoul on the back of the head.

Hyejoo - face against the cold, wooden floor - stays perfectly still. _Maybe if I don’t move_ , she thinks, _they will forget what just happened_. Tiny footsteps sound closer and closer, until Yeojin’s concerned face enters into her peripheral vision. She reaches out with a small finger, poking Hyejoo in the side of her cheek.

“You alive?”

Another set of footsteps come rushing over, and she glances over to the other side to see Haseul looking extremely worried, eyebrows furrowed while shaking Hyejoo’s shoulders.

“Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead,” She repeats hurriedly, checking her pulse over and over again because each time Haseul checks she starts to doubt herself and she really doesn’t want to fill out an incident report again because that wouldn’t look good on her report and she really needs that-

“I’m alive,” Hyejoo deadpans, brushing the older girl's hand away from her face and pushing herself up from the floor. Sure, she was alive, but her whole body was throbbing with pain. However, she would rather _die_ than admit she was hurt. 

Haseul exhales in relief, sitting back on her heels - even though she should be worried about her own pulse, considering her heart was literally going 100 kilometers per hour. She really didn’t want to risk having another injured child on her watch, unless she wanted to change the ‘__ _days without an injury_ ’ whiteboard posted up in the corner of the gym. They currently had a 23 day streak.

Yeojin imitates a look of concern. “Are you sure?,” She places a hand on Hyejoo’s forehead, “I can’t seem to detect any form of life here.”

An obnoxious cackle catches Hyejoo’s attention as she tries with all her might not to _strangle_ Yeojin on the spot, and looks toward Jinsoul who is clutching onto her stomach - quickly silenced when Haseul shoots her a glare. The captain stands and turns to face Hyejoo, seemingly unconvinced that she hasn’t done any internal damage.

“You probably should-“ Hasuel starts, but is caught off guard by the young girl standing up suddenly, swaying ever so slightly.

“I’m not bleeding, it’s _fine_. Whose serve is next?”

“Ours,” Hyunjin calls out from across the court, a wide grin on her face. 

“Isn’t this kinda unfair?” Yeojin whines, her face scrunched up like a sad toddler. “She’s a second year _and_ both of her teammates are stupidly tall. It’s like you want us to fail.”

Haseul stands up, pausing for a moment. “We don’t want you to fail! Obviously. We just… need to see your problem solving. This is something we face often. You’ve got a quick-thinking setter, imposing blocker and powerful spiker in your way. So what will you do about it?”

“I can’t think quickly,” Yuna whimpers in mild horror. “I’ll get dizzy.”

“It’s okay, Yuna!” Yeojin cheers, slapping her on the back supportively. Her arms and legs ache, and her whole body is sweaty, but she’s having a great time. “We’re only two points down, and your sets are awesome! Hyejoo is just so used to being a bench warmer that she hasn’t figured out how to spike and block in the same match yet.”

“I’ll fucking kill you,” Hyejoo hisses. 

“Your forehead is red from the floor, Hyejoo.”

“Yeah, I really am enjoying this,” Zoa coos from the other side of the net. Hyejoo turns her murderous gaze on the other middle blocker with such speed it’s shocking.

“Y’know what? We’re gonna win,” Hyejoo announces, fists uncurling at her sides. “Just so I can rub it in your stupid face. Then we’ll see who’s bench warmer.”

“Let’s- let’s get the competition friendly, guys! We’re teammates!” Haseul says nervously.

“Pull her hair!” Bora yells from where she’s stationed by the net, playing ref.

“Kill’em,” Jeongyeon and Nayeon say in unison.

“No! Don’t kill!” Haseul squawks, but it’s overshadowed by Jinsoul once again laughing uproariously.

“Server up, come on! We only have the gym until six!” Hyujin yells, rolling her eyes. 

“I’m serving now,” Tzuyu says in reply, and Bora blows her whistle. 

The serve is pinpoint and strong, but sacrifices speed for accuracy- Yeojin was having the best fun in the world picking it up. She dives, bumping it towards Yuna with ease, yelling “up!” with a cheer as she slides smoothly over the court. Yuna looks terrified, shaking out her hands methodically before lifting them above her head in excellent form, jumping to meet the ball. Her set is shaky - too nervous to be perfect - but Hyejoo had finally adjusted her run up to it enough to make up for it. There’s an extra dangerous sparkle in her eyes as she leaps up, arms pulled back to spike, making direct eye contact with Zoa’s glare as she and Hyunjin jump to block. Yeojin keeps back by the three metre line, ready and tense in case of a blocked ball, but Hyejoo’s rage had finally translated into success. She feints it, laughing maniacally as Zoa curses. Tzuyu receives, and it’s wonky. Hyunjin hurries under it, already calling for Tzuyu to spike, and Yeojin watches with glee as she calculates their next spike.

Yeojin receives, and she never wants this to end.

  
  


☆

“-and I didn’t know where to sit but then this girl complimented my hair and so we had lunch together and-”

“Yerim, you’re forgetting to breathe again.”

In a corner booth at Eden Cafe, three first years sit together after a tiring first day of high school and an even more tiring volleyball try out. The purple haired girl, Yerim, abruptly stops talking when she’s reminded by her younger friend that she needs to slow down, unless she wants to start choking on air, _again_. Yerim smiles sheepishly, pausing to take a deep breath before launching back into describing every tiny detail of her day. By the second. Hyejoo is counting.

Hyejoo visibly deflates, sinking further into her pleather seat trying to feign disinterest in whatever she was rambling about - unlike Yeojin, who was leaning forward on the table with her chin resting on her hands, taking in every word like it was a sacred text being passed on by word of mouth. Instead, she chooses to focus on her fizzing soft drink, watching the bubbles popping one by one as they slowly rise to the surface. She lets herself imagine that each bubble is Zoa’s stupid face, exploding over and over, as it brings her mild satisfaction. Her arms are still aching from their practise match and the arrogant middle blocker’s ridiculous spikes. It wasn’t until they were walking to the cafe that Hyejoo put two and two together- Zoa’s middle school was an offensive one, made famous by routinely demanding one hundred clean spikes a practise from every player. They’d kicked her and Yeojin’s ass in their second year and somehow she was even more bitter about it now, knowing Zoa’s dumb name was probably on that winning roster. Tzuyu was equally as powerful, but at least she was less cocky about it. The more Hyejoo reflected on it, the less she believed she’d made that starting line up. She sighs to herself, unheard. What’s another year of bench warming? At least she’s the best at it. 

“You’re kidding.”

Yeojin’s change in tone snaps Hyejoo out from her self-pitying daze, and she looks up to see her tiny friend slack-jawed and staring at Yerim, who looks visibly confused. 

“No? Why would I lie about making a volleyball team?”

“We made it onto our school’s volleyball team, too,” Hyejoo remarks, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as Yerim starts beaming at the two of them. 

“Oh my gosh, no way! I thought you guys were done after middle school. This is so cool!”

From beside her, Hyejoo notices Yeojin shifting around in her seat slightly, shooting her a knowing glance. 

Putting on her most serious expression, Yeojin makes direct eye contact with Yerim. “You know what this means... right?” 

Yerim hesitates, “Huh?”

“Yerim, you leave us no choice.” Hyejoo continues, her and Yeojin looking toward each other as they both nod together. She turns her gaze back to Yerim, “We can’t be friends anymore.”

The purple haired girl pauses while the two of them carefully. These two had always been extremely hard to read, and this time was no different. They both looked at her with the same unrecognisable expression and came to the assumption that they were _not_ joking and now what was she supposed to do without her closest friends but maybe she should have seen this coming and-

Hyejoo and Yeojin’s hearts drop at the same time as they watch Yerim slowly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably and drawing the attention of the other people in the cafe. One employee in particular, an older high school student, immediately recognises that bright purple hair and practically drops what she is holding as she races over.

“Yerim, please, it was just a joke!-”

“We didn’t mean it, we didn’t think we were that convincing!-”

The two girls stumble over their words as they try to (and miserably failing) at consoling their friend. Yeojin is halfway on the table, trying to reach out to Yerim while Hyejoo looks more alert than usual. They are interrupted by the cafe employee, who seems out of breath -even though she ran only a short distance - and are taken aback she practically grapples Yerim into a hug.

“Yerim-ah! Why are you crying!” 

Yeojin and Hyejoo glance at each other, stunned. Who-

“J-jiwoo?” Yerim hiccups.

The older girl, Jiwoo, pulls away briefly and cups Yerims face with her hands, checking over her as if she were a toddler that had just tripped over. Hyejoo found herself cringing at how much she was coddling her.

“We didn’t do anything, we were just playing around!” Yeojin stammers, unusually spooked, “We joked that we couldn’t be friends anymore since we aren’t on the same volleyball team-”

“Wait,” Jiwoo cuts her off, eyeing them suspiciously, “what school do you go to?” 

Yeojin hestates.

“...Blockberry High.”

Those two words seem to set off something inside Jiwoo, and her once kind and gentle (albeit suffocating) demeanor turned sour. Her blank stare turned into a glare, the younger girls frozen in their seats.

“Blockberry High? They’re still kicking, huh?” She slinks down into the seat beside Yerim - who has now stopped crying, briefly, and is watching Jiwoo with the same scared expression - placing her elbows onto the table, leaning forward. “Considering their embarrassing reputation over the past few years, I thought they would have given up already.”

Hyejoo can’t help but stare at the girl in bewilderment. This was the last thing she had expected from such a bubbly character, let alone becoming so defensive over a _high school sport_.

“Do me a favour and tell Haseul that we do plan on beating you guys again, and she probably shouldn’t waste her time. Especially not when we have a new secret weapon.”

The four of them sit in awkward silence for a minute until Jiwoo suddenly starts grinning at them, any hint of hostility toward them fading away in an instant. She stands up, wiping away the creases in her apron as she searches for a notepad and pen.

“Anyways, what did you guys want to eat? On the house, since you’re such good friends with our little Yerimmie!” 

_Our?_ Hyejoo wanted to be surprised that Yerim had already made her whole team fall in love with her, but she was no stranger to her charisma. She may be awkward, but she was truly a people person at heart, and Hyejoo wasn’t sure if she admired or envied that.

They stayed silent for another moment, recovering from the whiplash that was Jiwoo. Yeojin was the first to speak up.

“Uh, just fries for the table, please?”

She didn’t mean for that to come out as a question more than a statement, but Jiwoo happily jotted it down and continued to take the rest of their orders - completely oblivious to their wariness and hesitation. As soon as the older girl moved away from their table, Yerim - eyes still puffy from before - chuckled nervously.

“Not gonna lie, I was playing out all the ways I would introduce you to my new friends, and that _definitely_ wasn’t one of them.”

Yeojin laughs quietly, her legs swinging underneath the table while Hyejoo cocks a single brow, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. An awkward tension had settled over the three first years, each of them avoiding eye contact.

Yeojin mentally scolded herself for _yet again_ letting a joke go too far - far enough that she had made one of her closest friends _cry_ , and the sight alone had made her chest grow tight with guilt. She was no stranger to practical jokes and the sort, that was how she had always been. Anytime Yeojin felt she was under fire, stressed out or even at her breaking point, making other people laugh (even at her own expense) was the go-to. But, sometimes, even she struggled at reading the room. And then when things were out of her control from then on, she could do nothing but let her embarrassment fester inside. She is snapped out of her thoughts when Hyejoo finally speaks.

“What’s your team like?” She looks toward Yerim expectantly, who smiles softly, quietly grateful for the distraction.

“They’re all super sweet! There were only three of us trying out - a girl from my homeroom, Chaeyoung, and then another girl who I didn’t know too well,” Yerim paused briefly, looking around thoughtfully, “I think her name was Jihan. She was really shy, but as soon as she got on the court, it was like she was a different person. Same with Chaeyoung. They had me super nervous, but we worked really well.”

“You’ve met Jiwoo - she’s our libero. She’s in second year with Heejin, our wing spiker, as well as Jungeun and Sana, who are both middle blockers.”

As Yerim continues to describe her team, seemingly no longer upset like before, Jiwoo arrives at their table with their orders, gently placing them down in front of them with a large smile. Hyejoo and Yeojin tense up slightly as she puts their plates onto the table, but still nod their head in thanks. Jiwoo ruffles the top of Yerim’s purple hair before moving to wait on another table, the younger girl turning back to her friends to continue.

“Then there is our captain, Sooyoung,” She grimaces, “But I don’t think she likes me very much. If the other girls hadn’t convinced her, I don’t think she would have let me join.”

“The fuck?”

Hyejoo kicks Yeojin under the table, who grunts in pain.

“I dunno. I think it’s because we play the same position, I think she feels intimidated,” Yerim continues, “Which makes no sense considering she has had way more experience than me!” She picks at the food on her plate, moving it around with a fork, visibly distraught by the thought that the captain of her own team - the one she is supposed to look up to and rely on for help - wouldn’t even give her the time of the day.

“But our vice captain, Vivi, is really kind. I think she noticed how Sooyoung was acting towards me, and helped sorta mediate the situation.”

Yeojin chuckles, “At least you didn’t make enemies with half of your team,” which earns her another kick from Hyejoo. She can already feel a bruise forming.

“We’re still good for next week, yeah?” Yerim looks at her friends with hopeful eyes. 

A part of her regretted going to a different school than her closest friends, but it wasn’t everyday that you got accepted into a private school, let alone a performing arts school. They had assured her that it was fine, and they would much rather her do what made her happy than feel like she was being weighed down.

Hyejoo sighed, allowing herself to smile for just a small moment.

“Obviously.”

Between the three of them, none of them planned on letting anything get in the way of their friendship. Not school, not volleyball, not anything. They’ve been close too long to let that happen now.

At another booth on the opposite side of the cafe, Jiwoo brings a black coffee to Sooyoung’s table.

“Oh captain, my captain,” she says jokingly, setting the mug down with a flourish. “I take it you’ve spotted our first year fraternizing with the enemy?”

Sooyoung’s murderous gaze does not lift from Yerim and her two friend’s Blockberry High Volleyball Club jackets. even as she sips her coffee. It burns, but she doesn’t let it show. 

“Yes,” she replies through grit teeth, forcing her voice to sound pleasant. 

“Whatcha gonna do about it?” Jiwoo asks lightly, hands on her hips as she tightens her apron.

Sooyoung’s knuckles turn white as she squeezes her mug tightly.

“End it.”


	2. Chapter 2

The cafeteria of SM Performing Arts is alive and bustling, still shiny with that day two of the new year sparkle. Students gather at the round tables picking at their food, notebooks flipped open to pages with hastily scribbled notes as they try to wrap their heads around whatever they learnt last period. As a school of performing arts, the head of education wasn’t too fussed about their academic success. However, this didn’t prevent Yerim from placing extreme importance on her grades. She had always been a perfectionist ever since middle school, even at the protest of Yeojin and Hyejoo to relax. ‘ _The only thing that matters is a pass,_ ’ Yeojin had remarked, ‘ _Anything but a fail is a win in my eyes_.’

‘ _That doesn’t make sense_ ,” Hyejoo retaliated, ‘ _Obviously anything but a fail is a win. How is that encouraging?_ ’

‘ _Because, Hyejoo, not everything is worth losing sleep over. Especially not school work that will mean nothing in two years!’_

Yeojin had been remarkably wise for for her young age, Yerim reminisced. 

She is currently sitting at a table in the middle of the loud cafeteria, the contents of her orange backpack scattered on the surface, somehow still ordered in a way only Yerim can manage. Calm amongst chaos. Chaeyoung is sitting across from her, schoolbag by her feet with only one textbook open in front of her, more effective as a pillow than study material. She carefully watches Yerim as she hunches over her work, switching which pen her hand was in to shake out the cramps forming in her fingers. 

“It’s only the first week, Yerim-ah. I don’t think you need to be making a planner for next term until… well, next term.”

“Don’t be silly! They gave us assignment outlines for a reason. Time management is the _key_ to success, and if I don’t get on top of it now, then I may as well just drop out.”

Chaeyoung lets out an exasperated sigh and returns to quietly doodling in her notebook. She is currently sketching out an image of Yerim surrounded by a looming tower of books, prone to falling at any moment. The tiny Yerim fenced in looks frenzied, pencils sticking through her hair.

“I don’t understand how you have any energy left at all,” the older girl remarked, “I _still_ can’t feel any of my muscles from practice earlier, and we have it again after school. Sooyoung is brutal.”

Yerim tenses up at the mention of her team captain, a flash of her disapproving gaze appearing in her mind for a brief moment. Truth be told, her muscles were also aching from their practice at the beginning of lunch, but she wouldn’t admit it. To admit weakness is to accept failure, in her mind, and she had her middle school teachers to thank for that. The last thing she wants is another reason for Sooyoung to resent her, even if she wasn’t sure what the original reason was. Yerim - poor, insecure Yerim - figures that it must be a valid reason.

She feels her jumper pocket vibrate, and the charms on her phone clink together obnoxiously as she pulls it out, glancing at her screen full of notifications. Yerim smiles as she swipes to unlock her phone. She scrolls through the messages, Hyejoo and Yeojin bickering as usual (the youngest girl had allegedly bitten Hyejoo, to which she vehemently denies - _‘it’s not my fault ur weak’,_ Yeojin writes. Immediately Hyejoo’s typing bubble appears.) Yerim taps away quickly on her keyboard, assuming her role as the mediator between the two of them. She had initially been worried about how well they would fare in school without her, considering how often they butted heads, but she knew in the back of her mind they would be okay. If she is to be completely honest, it’s their constant bickering in their group chat that brought her back to reality. It was a sense of normality for her in a completely foregin place. She has never fared well with change, but Yerim knows she can count on her best friends to ground her, even without knowing they are doing so.

Yerim allows herself to feel a quiet sort of relief at their return to normal. It soothes the anxiety that had been lingering since the previous afternoon, when Yeojin and Hyejoo had jokingly said they couldn’t be friends anymore. _Joking_ , Yerim reminds herself firmly. _It was a joke._ The other two troublemakers know that Yerim is a bit of a crybaby, and easy to get a rise out of. They just did it to spook her. They still want to be friends. They never wanted to _not_ be friends. Yerim is just being silly. 

The charms on Yerim’s phone seem to rouse Chaeyoung’s attention, and the blonde girl looks up from her messy sketches to watch her carefully. She notices her shoulders relax while her phone buzzes furiously, and thinks that whatever distraction she was preoccupied by is a welcome one.

“Whatcha doin?” Chaeyoung asks, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Like she has just been snapped out of a trance, Yerim looks up with wide eyes toward her newfound friend, who is smiling shyly.

“Ah, nothing, really. My friends are arguing again,” She giggles, turning her phone screen towards Chaeyoung and holding it out so she could see. Chaeyoung’s eyes scan the messages before her, chuckling to herself as she swipes up to keep reading.

“Are they like this all the time?” 

“Twenty four seven, seven days a week. Not that I’m complaining, though!”

Yerim turns her phone back around, answering a few other messages before locking it. “If anything, I’d get worried if they started being nice to one another for longer than a minute.”

“That’s… kinda crazy,” Chaeyoung laughs. “Are these the same friends you’ve known for, like, your whole life?”

“Yeah! My best friends.” 

“And you’ve been putting up with them at each other’s throats all that time?”

“Yep.” Yerim smiles brightly, and Chaeyoung falters.

“Isn’t that… like… exhausting?” She asks, and Yerim cocks her head to the side, smile slipping. “Why are they even friends if they can’t get along?”

“They- they do get along!” Yerim defends, shrugging. She taps her pen against the tabletop rhythmically, a nervous tic. “They do. They’re best friends. They just… argue. It’s their love language. And then I fix it, and we laugh about it. They don’t actually hate each other. Yeojin doesn’t have a hateful bone in her body, and Hyejoo tries to hide it, but she’s a big softy on the inside.”

Chaeyoung wonders if she should point out that Yerim didn’t answer her first question. “Well, if it works for you,” she says instead, turning her attention back to the truly crazy amount of work they’d already been assigned. 

“What do you mean?” Yerim asks, and Chaeyoung looks up at her through her eyelashes, shrugging with one shoulder.

“I couldn’t do it, I guess. I used to have two best friends, in middle school, but it was kinda like… they were best friends, and I was just the _friend_. My mum told me it’s because two’s company and a three’s a crowd, and I was just unlucky enough to be number three. Since then I’ve told myself I shouldn’t settle. It’s not selfish to want to be someone’s number one, y’know. It’s nice to know someone cares about you as much as you care about them.” She yawns, resting her head on her arms. “But now she’s going to another school, so who knows if that’ll last.” Yerim’s eyes are wide and go unnoticed. “At least we have the team, i guess.”

“Y-yeah,” Yerim stammers, voice soft. Her phone buzzes on the table and her gaze darts to it. It’s a message in their group chat from Yeojin, asking where Hyejoo is. Yerim’s chest goes tight. “Yeah. I guess.”

  
  


☆

  
  


As the lunch hour nears its close, Yerim hums in frustration and smacks her pen onto the table, startling a slowly dozing off Chaeyoung. She whispers a small apology for the rude awakening, before turning to glower at the noisy students causing her a distraction.

“I can barely hear my own thoughts,” she mutters while standing up, beginning to filter all of her belongings back into her school bag while Chaeyoung looks on with a bored stare. “I’m just gonna go to my next class early and finish my timetable there.”

Chaeyoung doesn’t reply as Yerim slings her backpack over her shoulder, giving a lazy wave as she goes to rest her head on the table, letting herself drift off again into a nap.

Yerim moves at a quick pace down the hallway, dodging and weaving around other students expertly as she heads toward her next class. She doesn’t notice the two third years following in her footsteps quickly, students moving out of the way for them like a parting sea. One marches like the hall is her runway, poised and pleasant as she directs smiles to her peers with a flip of her hair. The other bounces, practically skipping, oozing bright enthusiasm. They make quite the pair, and the students of SM Performing Arts know this. But each girl is a double-edged sword- grace and aggression and fearlessness on the court. Raw strength is evident in their bodies, so some clear the way not out of reverence but wariness.

No one wants to be on Sooyoung’s bad side. Lucky for them, the line is very clear. Jiwoo ensures it’s... crystal. 

Yerim remains unaware, mentally running through her remaining class timetable and factoring in volleyball practise. She had an hour commute home by bike after. Longer, weighed down by homework, sheet music and her volleyball bag. Her body aches just at the thought of it.

Yerim daydreams of a long, steaming bath as she takes a seat at her desk, spreading out her mathematics homework before her and trying her best not to feel daunted by it. She’s rooting through her bag for her pencil case when a tall, tall shadow looms over her, enough to spook her. Yerim squeaks, dropping the pen in her hand with a clatter. 

“Hey!” Jiwoo, her new team’s libero, smiles widely as she bends out, picking up the pen and holding it out. “You dropped this.”

“Th- thank you!” Yerim gasps, taking it back. Sooyoung is smiling at her from behind Jiwoo, hands clasped at her back. The smile doesn’t reach her eyes and any previous calm Yerim may have been feeling evaporates. “Um- have I- have I done something wrong? Is this to do with volleyball?” 

Jiwoo tilts her head, blinking. Her long eyelashes flutter and Yerim feels mildly captivated by it. But with Sooyoung standing right there, her beauty feels like a trap. Can people be compared to Venus Flytraps, or was that impolite?

“We just wanted to check in our precious new underclassman,” Jiwoo answers, plopping herself down on Yerim’s desk with no regard for her work. Yerim watches despairingly as pages crinkle. “Did you enjoy your fries?”

It takes Yerim a split second to put two and two together. It wasn’t like the moment in the cafe had been far from the forefront of her mind anyway. “Oh! Yes! We did!” 

“It’s nice you have friends outside of school,” Sooyoung says warmly, finally speaking. Yerim flinches, looking between the two of them with wide eyes. “Don’t look so spooked!” Her laugh tinkles like a bell but echoes like thunder in Yerim’s ears, ominous and foreboding. “I wasn’t spying. I was at the cafe as well, that’s all. Jiwoo gives me a discount on my coffee. I saw you with them from across the cafe and I was relieved, to be honest. I was worried about how you might be… struggling to fit in.” Yerim blinks, speechless. Sooyoung is worried about her? 

“I don’t give her a discount, she takes my discount,” Jiwoo mutters as Sooyoung nudges her.

“But that’s actually what we came to talk to you about, come to think of it! I knew I was forgetting something,” Sooyoung sighs, brushing her hair out of her face. 

L

“About- about coffee?”

“No, Yerimmie,” Jiwoo turns from her perch on the edge of her desk, “About your friends. Former friends now, I assume. How do you know those two little Blockberry girls?” Former friends now? The mood darkens palpably. Yerim feels cursed. Why is everyone talking about her friends so much today?

“Yeojin and Hyejoo?” Yerim swallows on Sooyoung’s intense gaze. “I- I've known them since I was six. We were starters together, in our middle school volleyball team. They’re my closest friends.”

Yerim is caught off guard by Sooyoung laughing airly, placing her hand on Yerim’s in an attempt to seem comforting. The young girl is anything but comforted, and feels her muscles tense up at the unexpected ‘affection’. “It’s natural to still feel so attached to your childhood friends - that’s completely normal. But you’re growing up, and eventually you will grow apart. That’s just inevitable.” 

_But now she’s going to another school, so who knows if that’ll last._

“High school is about new beginnings. You can’t let yourself be weighed down by friends who obviously don’t appreciate you. Jiwoo told me what they said the other day. Is that really how you want to be treated?”

Yerim hesitates. Maybe her captain had a point. She was no stranger to being the main target for a joke when around her friends, but she had always viewed it as being playful rather than malicious. They wouldn’t purposefully try and make her upset - _would they?_ That’s just how it had always been. Yerim is the mediator. Yerim is the one who walks behind when the footpath only fits two. Yerim accommodated and problem solved and kept the peace. She’s appreciated, surely. _That’s just…. how it’s always been,_ she repeats to herself, shoulders shrinking inwards. 

Yerim has never really questioned if she’s okay with it before. 

“I know what it’s like to have friends like that,” Sooyoung continues, her tone becoming more serious, “I had to do what was best for me, and that meant leaving them behind.”

_Since then I’ve told myself I shouldn’t settle. It’s not selfish to want to be someone’s number one, y’know._

Leave them behind? The young girl shifts uncomfortably in her seat, and Sooyoung squeezes her hand in reassurance.

“It hurt my heart to see you so upset,” Jiwoo is genuinely sad when she speaks, frowning. “I know we don’t know each other well, yet, but no one deserves to be treated like that. We’re a team now, and we need to look out for each other.” 

“She’s right,” Sooyoung looks toward Yerim, “I know I’ve been harsh to you, but it’s only because I see _so_ much potential in you. I just don’t want to see you waste it. That would be devastating.”

Yerim glances down at her textbook, avoiding eye contact. She didn’t know how to feel. A mixture of emotions are swirling up inside of her tiny body, ready to burst at any moment if provoked. She figures there is truth in Sooyoung’s words - some of her old mentors had approached her in the same way. Tough love was their way of life, even if it caused Yerim to develop an ungodly amount of self-doubt.

“Well I- I do want to be my best,” Yerim says carefully, tying her fingers up in knots. “And I want to give my all to the team.” Part of Yerim wants to ask if her giving one hundred percent really has to entail cutting off her friends. Her first friends. Her _best_ friends.

A small, bitter part of her - a part she’d always tried to smother, a part that had persevered on crumbs - wonders if they’d notice if Yerim didn’t break up their arguments anymore. If Yeojin and Hyejoo had been so okay with Yerim going to SMPA because they wanted to cut her off. If they… hadn’t been joking, about them no longer being friends. If they’d known that them being on opposing teams meant they couldn’t talk anymore, so that’s why they kept up volleyball. 

Sooyoung and Jiwoo seem so worried about her because of how their interaction had looked on the outside. Even Chaeyoung had seemed surprised by their dynamic. Maybe it isn’t as normal as she feels like it is? Has she been settling this whole time, unaware she could ask for more from them? 

She looks up at her two upperclassmen, who’d taken the time to seek her out. To check on her after they assumed she’d been hurt, and to say they believe in her and want the best for her. Yerim swallows down the lump in her throat. Maybe this is just what high school was supposed to be. New beginnings meant something had to end, right? Or at least change. _God_ , Yerim hates change. 

“I- I’ll do something about it,” Yerim decides, voice shaky with emotion. Jiwoo smiles sympathetically, patting her shoulder. “I guess I should… put my foot down. Tell them that our friendship isn’t… isn’t a joke. To me.”

“Yes, Yerimmie! Unlock that self-worth!” Jiwoo cheers, pumping her fist in the air. Sooyoung smiles at them, resting a strong palm against Yerim’s other shoulder. It doesn’t feel caging, now. It feels supportive. Has Yerim ever felt supported like this? “We’ll keep an eye out for you.” 

“You can trust us,” Sooyoung agrees, squeezing her. “The SM Volleyball Club has each other’s backs, no matter what.”

Jiwoo laughs giddily, leaning close to whisper in her ear. “Welcome to the family,” she says, eyes sparkling, and Yerim lets herself smile.

It isn’t fair to get so caught up in something ending when it allows something new to start. And maybe this team - this _family_ \- is exactly what she needs.

  
  


☆

  
  


The gym is filled with lively chatter as the Blockberry High School girls volleyball team warms up in small groups, scattered throughout. Hyejoo is stretching her legs as Yeojin tries her best to turn herself into a pretzel beside her, grunting with exertion. Hyejoo ignores her in favour of listening in on the captains and their hushed conversation as they assemble the net. 

“We can turn it down,” Jinsoul is whispering. Hyejoo tries to eavesdrop subtly, but it’s not particularly necessary when Jinsoul’s quiet is a normal person’s loud. “We don’t have to accept every single practise match offer. I can tell Nayeon to say thanks but no thanks.” 

“It’ll be good practise,” Haesul sighs back, staring at nothing in particular as she tightens the antennae. 

“Is it SMPA?” Bora asks Ryunjin lowly behind Hyejoo. Hyejoo leans backwards in her stretch. 

“Yeah. It’s too early for them to already be requesting a match. Must be because the Hag is finally captain this year. Poor fuckers.” Bora snickers at Ryujin’s blunt words. 

“Who’s SMPA?” Yeojin asks, far too loud. Not for the first time, Hyejoo thinks that Yeojin would be a terrible spy.

“SM Performing Arts,” Bora supplies, and Yeojin brightens.

“Hey! Our friend goes there!” 

“Rest in peace your friend.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hyejoo asks, curious, giving up completely on pretending she isn’t listening. Yeojin’s face automatically goes stricken as it does when any suggestion of harm to Yerim comes up, and Hyejoo placates her worry with a swift cuff to the back of the head. Ryunjin levels an unimpressed stare at her which Hyejoo automatically reciprocates, respect for her upperclassmen be damned. Yeojin groans quietly, ignored. 

“SMPA as a school is pretty chill, but their volleyball team is run like it’s the military,” Bora laughs. “Their captain this year is a bitch.” Ryunjin elbows her harshly and Bora flops on her back with a wheeze, adductor stretch abandoned. “Fuck! My core!” 

“Not so loud, dumbass,” Ryunjin hisses, eyes darting up to their captains and back. “You know how Haseul gets.”

“Is this about their beef?” Zoa appears, much to Hyejoo’s chagrin. She sits in their makeshift circle, leaning forward and stretching her annoying wrists. “I heard they hate each other.” 

“They don’t have beef. It’s way, _way_ more complicated than that. Like, nonstop tension, but no ones boiled over yet.” Bora, having suddenly recovered, sits up. “We’ve never gotten the full story, but Haesul is proper competitive against their captain, Sooyoung. Watching them play against each other, it’s like they’re having an entire game between them with their eyes.” She bugs her eyes for effect and Ryunjin sighs. 

The name rings a bell for the wrong reasons. ‘ _Then there is our captain, Sooyoung, but I don’t think she likes me very much. If the other girls hadn’t convinced her, I don’t think she would have let me join’,_ Yerim had said at the cafe. All because Yerim is a setter too. Hyejoo thinks of that creepy Jiwoo girl, who had coddled Yerim like a baby and then threatened herself and Yeojin. 

“So do they all hate Blockberry, or just the captain?” Yeojin asks, confused. “Because Hyejoo and I-“

“Olivia.”

“Fine, _Olivia_ and I met one of the SMPA players yesterday. What was her name? Jiwa? Woojin?”

“Jiwoo. What you just said are both fake names.”

“Thanks, Livvy-joo. So, Jiwoo-“ Hyejoo fights the urge to slam Yeojin’s face into the gym floor while there are witnesses- “was like, super aggressive. She said that Blockberry is an embarrassment and she’s surprised Haseul hasn’t given up yet. And she mentioned they have a secret weapon? Then she gave us free food. I thought I was hallucinating.” 

“Jiwoo is their libero,” Bora supplies with a grin. Yeojin’s eyes sparkle in that way that means she’s making a challenge out of nothing. “She’s a third year and an absolute machine in the court, as well as being Sooyoung’s right hand woman. She’s also, like, mad protective of her. I reckon she’s got a big fat crus-“

“Oh my god _shut up_ ,” Ryunjin groans. 

“It’s true! I have a fifth sense for these things.”

Hyejoo hides her laugh in her palm as Ryunjin glares hopelessly at Bora. 

“Six. _Sixth_ sense. You already have five senses you _fucking_ imbecile.”

“So their nameless tension is enough that Jinsoul doesn’t want to play a practise match against them?” Yeojin interrupts, brow creasing. “But practise is practise! Shouldn’t we take every opportunity?”

“You weren’t there for last year’s game, kiddo.” Nayeon materializes at the edge of their group, sitting with her legs crossed under her. Today her skirt is worn over electric yellow sweatpants. “Day three and BHV is in the finals, one game away from finally being the prefectural rep in nationals - and who else do we play but SM Volley.” Nayeon sighs deeply, leaning back and propping herself up on her hands. “It was a brutal game. Went to five sets. Our third year libero busted her ankle and Bora-Bora here ended up with a broken nose from taking a ball right to the face from Vivi, who’d be this year's vice. We had a first year setter competing with a second year Sooyoung right around the time the first rumours about her playing for South Korea came out and poor Hyunjin almost went rabid trying to keep up with her. Jinsoul’s line shots were at their best and our very own queen Haseul scored five service aces and it still wasn’t enough. Sooyoung took the match point with a very sexy dump but _fuck_ with it was devastating. I hate her.” 

“That death march back to the bus after,” Ryunjin says wistfully, wincing. “I’m never going to forget that.”

“My nose is still crooked!” Bora adds cheerfully, pointing to her face. “It didn’t heal right so now I have a big ol’ conversation starter smack dab in the middle of my face.” Zoa looks horrified as Nayeon nods sagely. 

Yeojin leans toward Hyejoo, whispering, “They’re making it sound like they went to war.”

“They basically did,” Jeongyeon pipes up, startling the two first years as her head appears between them. “You shoulda seen how much blood was spilt.”

Yeojin and Hyejoo exchange a glance.

“Quit spreading lies!” Jinsoul also appears suddenly beside them, roughly shoving Jeongyeon’s shoulder. “Bora-Bora didn’t get any blood on the court. And Eunsoo only rolled her ankle, she didn’t _bust_ it. She was fine after a week or so of rest. She’s playing in University!”

“We even had to open the new bandaid box,” Jeongyeon says ominously. 

“Only _one_ bandaid was needed, and it was for Nayeon’s papercut.” Nayeon grins, waggling her fingers through the air. “All because she was holding her clipboard too tight.”

“It took a lot of self restraint not to hurl it at Sooyoung’s dumb, pretty face. I was doing you all a favour, really.” 

“Can you bench a manager?”

“That ref probably would’ve tried. I hated that guy. He totally had a bias. If I see him again it’s on sight.”

“Let it go, Ryunjin. Let it go.”

“Wow,” Yeojin breathes. Hyejoo side-eyes her to see her practically vibrating. She jumps to her feet, pumping her fist. “We go to a school with actual rivals! This is like a K-drama! I can’t wait to play them!” 

“Glad to see everyone is enthusiastic.” They all turn to see Haseul, hands clasped in front of her as she smiles. When she speaks again, she’s louder, and Hyejoo sees Jinsoul smile out the corner of her eye. “We’ve locked in our first practise match for Monday next week, so I think it’s time we go over our starting line up, yeah? Then we’ll get into practise.”

Hyejoo can’t help but stiffen at the news, breath catching. They all get up, talking amongst themselves as they line up on the service line in front of Haseul and Jinsoul. Nayeon ambles over, clipboard in hand, and Haesul takes it with a grateful smile.

“So, this isn’t permanent, obviously,” Haesul says, clearing her throat. “This is just a line up I want to try for our first practise match. Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to shake it up and try a lot of different combinations, but this is just what we’ll do for now.” 

Hyejoo counts in her mind. Jeongeon, Bora, Zoa and herself made four middle blockers on our team. Maybe two would be regular players. Yeojin has a definite place as libero, no matter what; she’ll always be on the back line. 

“Position one will be Yeojin, as our libero,” Haesul starts, and she puffs out her chest with pride.

“Thank you! I won’t let you down!” she chirps, shaking happily.

“Position two is Jinsoul as a wing. Hyunjin, three, setter. Four will be Jeongeon, middle blocker. Five, myself, wing, and six, Bora, middle blocker. Zoa, you will be switching with Yeojin to play front line.” 

“Thank you,” Zoa says, dipping her head forward, “for the opportunity.” She smirks at Hyejoo from there, an eyebrow cocked, and Hyejoo clenches her fists at his sides.

She isn’t surprised. She isn’t. She knew she wouldn’t be a starter, so she has no right to be disappointed.

That didn’t change how bad she wanted to punch Zoa in the face. 

“Of course, everyone else will be right there on the court with us on the bench, and we expect you girls to be warmed up and ready to go at any point. We're all members of this team and we all bring our own spark to the court. No one is wasted no matter where you are and I stand by that.” Haesul regards them all with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes, and Hyejoo can’t help but stand up a little straighter even as pressure feels heavier on her shoulders. “I’m really excited to see what this team will do. What we’ll achieve. First, we take out the derby. Then, the prefectural finals. And then Nationals. We’re shooting for the stars and we _won’t_ miss.”

Bora, Jeongyeon and Jinsoul whoop in unison, whistling and cheering. Ryunjin shouts begrudgingly at Bora’s insistence as Hyunjin and Chaewon clap politely. Hyejoo looks down when she feels Yeojin tugging on her sleeve, the libero’s smiling so wide Hyejoo thinks her face will split. She won’t say it out loud, but it’s a good look on her.

“No one is wasted,” she repeats, and Hyejoo is horrified to feel a smile on her face. “Show em what you can do, yeah?” The third years are piling on top of Haesul and Haesul’s laughter is a carefree sound that makes Hyejoo want to relax.

Ignoring Zoa’s stare, she rolls her eyes instead, adopting an airy expression. “Obviously.”

☆

  
  


“Yah, Heejin - think fast.”

Heejin has barely any time to react as Jungeun spikes the ball her way, moving her hands instinctively up to cover her face. The volleyball smacks into her forearms, and she can already feel a bruise forming as she winces in pain.

“What was that for!?”

“To become a pro volleyball player, your reflex skill needs to be _sharp._ ” Her fellow second year states, picking up another ball and bouncing it a few times on the lined gymnasium floor. Heejin stares at her, bewildered.

“Obviously my reflexes won’t be sharp if someone unexpectedly _pegs_ a ball at me.”

“I said ‘think fast’? Is that not enough warning?”

“I wasn’t even looking at the-”

Heejin is cut off by Jungeun spiking another ball at her, and this time chooses to avoid the ball by quickly stepping to the side, her sneakers squeaking against polished ground. The ball never hits the ground, though, and Heejin turns around to see Vivi, their vice captain, holding it in her hands.

“Jungeun, maybe don’t try and injure your team members on purpose. We need you all to be in one piece for the practice match.”

“They’re just having fun, Vivi,” Siyeon smiles warmly, finishing off setting the net up. “At least until Sooyoung arrives.”

“Heejin,” Jungeun scolds, “you’re supposed to stop it from hitting the ground, not dodge. Have you ever played volleyball before?”

Heejin blithely gestures around the gymnasium. “Gee, I hope that’s a rhetorical question.”

“You don’t appreciate me enough.” Jungeun tosses another ball into the air, and Heejin tenses. Of course it’s a fake, and Jungeun grins at the look of rage on her face. “One day you’ll learn.”

“Guys, Sooyoung will be here any moment,” Vivi starts, but she goes unnoticed as Heejin takes the ball from her hands, shooting a dirty look in Jungeun’s direction.

“Think fast, bean pole bitch,” she growls, and Jungeun squeals dramatically as Heejin pelts the ball at her. Jungeun’s terrified receive sends it careening to the door, and they both hear a squeak as the ball hits the wall with a bang. 

“Look what you did!” Jungeun gasps. “You almost killed a first year!” She hurries to the door, prying their distressed new setter from the frame. “Look at her! She’s distraught! Do you feel faint? Do you want me to take you to the nurse’s office? How about retribution?” She presses a ball into the girl - Yerim’s - hands, face darkening. “It’ll feel good. Promise.”

“Jungeun, the fuck,” Heejin says.

“I worry about you,” Sana states, unmoving from where she is splayed out the ground. “A lot.”

“I’m! I’m fine!” Yerim stutters, the ball shaking in her tiny hands. “No thank you!” Jungeun pats her head, and if Yerim didn’t look faint before, she does now. 

“I really need you guys to start properly warming up,” Vivi begins again, one hand on her hip and the other holding a ball. “Or else-”

“Who wants to see who can dive the furthest?” Sana announces, sitting upright. 

A chorus of cheering erupts from the SMPA volleyball team, and the girls all converge by the net.

“Furthest dive gets something from 7-11, paid for by the loser,” Sana declares.   
  
“I like those odds,” Jungeun says, cracking her knuckles. “What run up to we get?”

Sana considers. “Three steps.” 

“Easy-peasy.” Jungeun, prolific pancake-r and second best diver on the team after their libero, grins. “I’ll go first, then.” She doesn’t wait for confirmation, taking three large, running steps before diving forward neatly, sliding considerably over the gym floor towards the service line. She stands up, yelling, “ta da!”, and Heejin claps sarcastically.

“Yeah, sure,” she says. “Me next.”

Heejin dives with more care- still a fluid motion, but Yerim can see the steps she’s taking clearly, unlike Jungeun’s flawless, easy dive. She stops just short of Jungeun’s feet, and Jungeun crouches down in front of her and flashed a shit-eating grin. Heejin punches her in the ankle.  
  
“Guys, maybe instead we should-“ 

“Vivi, come on!” Sana demands. “Dive!”

“But we should really start-“

“Chicken!” Jungeun catcalls from across the court, hands cupped around her mouth. 

Yerim looks over her shoulder to see Vivi staring up at the roof, jaw clenched tight. She sighs, dropping her head down and shrugging helplessly. 

“I’ll try, but I kind of suck at dives,” Chaeyoung sighs, shaking out her shoulders. “I totally don’t have enough money to buy anyone snacks.”

Chaeyoung’s dive is more of a belly flop than anything and they all wince collectively as she peels herself off the floor, arms crossed over her chest. “Ouch.”

It’s quick succession after that, Jungeun and Heejin jeering at each other as it becomes clear Jungeun has won. Sana comes close, and Jihan reaches the three metre line. Then it’s time for Yerim to dive.

“You got this, Yerimmie!” Jungeun cheers. “Beat Heejin so she cries!”

“Yerimmie, don’t lose,” Heejin growls, and Yerim tries her best not to shrink inside herself. 

Dives and pancakes are something she used to practise religiously with Yeojin- her libero best friend wants her in tip too receiving shape no matter the ball, and Yerim wants nothing but to be the best she can be. Bruises on her ribs were commonplace and she’s lost track of the times she’s knocked herself breathless with a poor landing.  
  
She wipes her clammy hands on her shorts, inhaling deeply. Three steps. Pitch forward, low, right knee to the side, arms brace, hands on the court, and-

Yerim lands one of her most successful, beautiful dives ever, but when she looks up to see her captain glaring down at her with an unreadable expression it feels like the worst. She gulps. Standing just behind her is Jiwoo, who looks to Yerim with a sympathetic expression.

“I take it you’re all warmed up?” Sooyoung observes, arms crossed. The excitement within the room dies down at the sight of her presence, and the team noticeably deflates. Yerim swiftly scrambles off the ground, moving next to Chaeyoung. “I highly doubt this was what Vivi envisioned when I asked her to prepare you guys for today’s practice.”

The team look to one another nervously. _Uh oh.  
_

“This wasn’t Vivi’s idea…” One of the new first years, Jihan, speaks up in a shaky voice, “We just wanted to have some fun-”  
  
“Do you think having ‘fun’ will get us to nationals? Do you think ignoring your vice captain and fooling around will get us to nationals?” Sooyoung looks at them all expectantly, making eye contact with whoever dared look up at her. “It is disappointing to me that you all seem to think this is a joke. It is also disappointing that you would treat not just one of your fellow teammates, but your _vice captain_ , without the same amount of respect you give me.”  
  
Yerim looks at Vivi, who is staring down at the ground, seemingly upset. She can feel her heart making it’s way slowly up into her throat, feeling extremely guilty.

“Minji is working hard in organising a practice match for us, and so it would be unfair to her for us to slack off instead working hard to be ready for whatever she provides us with. Time is precious, and you are all _wasting_ it.”

“So let’s make the most of it!” Jiwoo announces cheerily, stepping out from behind Sooyoung and grinning at the girls. The complete change in tone between the two made Yerim do a double take. And yet, her enthusiasm still brings a small smile to her face. “How about a lap or two to get ready? Let’s make it a race!” She turns her head to observe Sooyoung’s reaction, who simply sighs and gives a wave of her hand. 

“Make it three. Whoever comes last will do extra.”

And with that, the SMPA volleyball team race to their starting positions, preparing to run the fastest they ever have to avoid doing double, maybe even _triple_ the amount of laps. It really depends on whether or not Sooyoung’s mood will improve by the time they finish.  
  
Jiwoo’s voice echoes in the back of Yerim’s mind.

_Welcome to the family._

☆

In the last carriage of the train back home, Sooyoung’s head is resting carefully on Jiwoo’s shoulder as they sit in the furthermost corner, looking out the window opposite them as the landscape flies by. On Jiwoo’s phone, confirmation from their manager, Minji:

_Practise match confirmed. Monday next week, four pm. Blockberry agreed quickly.  
_

“Are you sure we did the right thing?” Jiwoo asks carefully, locking her phone after a glance at the time on her screen, “Yerimmie looked so upset. I want to see Blockberry High lose just as much as the next person, y’know? but-”

“She’ll be fine. We can’t let her be distracted - and I think we’re doing her a favour, anyway.”

Jiwoo grimaced.

“Sooyoung-ah…” She hesitates for a moment, biting her tongue and deciding it’d be better not to accidentally provoke the older girl.

It was unfortunate to her that Sooyoung could see no fault in her ways, and she pities the fact that the captain didn’t even seem to notice how much her own team feared her. Even in saying that, Jiwoo herself had a reputation of being a force to be reckoned with during games, but she never let it interfere with her life off the court (unless it involved jokingly threatening some kids at her café).

Only during a moment like this did she find herself envious of the enemy. During a game, her time on the bench involved a thorough study of their opponents. How they move around each other, interact with obstacles presented before them, analysing anything that could help them win. And though Blockberry High still had some things to fix internally, they had always been in sync with one another. Their number one, Haseul, was an incredible leader. She hated to admit it - and would rather _die_ than say it out loud - but she was a better captain than Sooyoung. 

She was glad, however, that she could see through the thick walls she had built around herself to stay safe, able to spy through the tiny gaps just enough to see a scared girl trapped within, afraid to leave her hiding place. Jiwoo wishes she could tell her that it was okay.

“Hm?” Sooyoung looks up at her expectantly with a soft expression, waiting for her to finish what she was going to say.   
  
“Nothing. Was just wondering if I should tell you that it was me who stole your bungeo-ppang during lunch.”

“Jiwoo!”

“My compliments to the chef,” She grins down at Sooyoung who looks back up at her with a fake hurt expression. 

The train slows down, coming to a halt at the next station. Few business people, school students and general travellers get up from their seats, shuffling past one another to exit as others squeeze past them onto the train, trying to score a free seat.

“Seriously, though, what were you going to say?”

Jiwoo purses her lips together. “What do you mean?”

Sooyoung sighs, moving her head from the younger girl’s shoulder and to the wall beside her. She could read her closest friend like a book, and knew that she was keeping something from her. The captain didn’t enjoy having things be kept from her - especially when it was _about_ her. “If we want to go to nationals this year, our team needs to get their shit together. We have talented players, but it still feels like we’re missing something.”

“Like what?”

“I’m not too sure… but we can’t slack off. If we want to perform like a well-oiled machine, we are going to have to practice whenever we get the chance.”

“We don’t want them to over exert themselves, though. If they are pushed to hard they might injure themselves, and we won’t have a volleyball team in good enough shape to compete.” Jiwoo chooses each of her words carefully, tip toeing through the minefield that was Sooyoung. The older girl watches her carefully. Her expression is unreadable, and Jiwoo fears she might have made a misstep.

“You make a good point.”

Jiwoo lets go of the breath she was holding, relaxing her shoulders.

“Why don’t we reward them if they win the practice match? Boost their morale a little bit. Let them know that their hard work isn’t going unnoticed.”

“...I’ll speak to Minji and Vivi about it, see what they think.”

Basically a yes, coming from Sooyoung, and Jiwoo beams at her. The train lurches forward, chugging along the train tacks and headed towards the next stop.

Slowly, but surely, she would get through to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone who read the last chapter! we hope you are all enjoying so far c:
> 
> twitter:  
> ash - @matsuwukawa  
> ellie - @yeojineve

**Author's Note:**

> ash  
> twt: matsuwukawa
> 
> ellie  
> twt: yeojineve
> 
> let us know if you wish to witness more of yeohyerim experience the epic highs and lows of high school volleyball. we got you covered hehe


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